I'm confused now??
I originally looked at this thread because I saw an ad in todays paper for Jetstar NZ recruitment and I thought why not? I am an ex-plank driver now in rotary (GA) and am thinking long and hard about career choices. Most of my mates (ex Air Force) are now in the airlines and as I was cruising for 4 hours yesterday at a grand speed of 120KTAS, steadily going deaf, I began to regret getting out of fixed wing. I thought this thread might give an insight into working for Jetstar and residing in NZ but I have to admit, I can't figure out if it's a good idea or not.
My belief is that the LCC model has some way to go yet, particularly in Oz, and particularly with what I am seeing, reading and hearing in the media. Perhaps that is what we will all be stuck with, until the economic rationlists can finally understand that competant, happy employees (like those at SW as I understand it to be) can be considered an asset, or investment, just as a double aisle, high capcity aircraft can be. I think that the Jetstar cadet scheme appears to be aimed at, dare I say it, GenY applicants. Those that have grown up under the good economic times and have a great deal of self belief and opinions (trust me I work with one!). I remember that there was a number of previous cadet schemes with even worse conditions, how's "you pay for the training, we'll do it, then we probably won't have a position for you at the end sound?" I met a couple of blokes like that in the early '90s. Others had parents who re-mortgaged the house to the tune of 120K.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that there is no easy nor cheap road to the front of a jet aircraft, let's hope that some common sense reappears in the industry before wages and conditions droop to record lows and we all ruck each other in the head just to get the seats at the pointy end (assuming that FO's aren't replaced by a dog in the meantime).
Which brings me to my final point, is Jetstar a good employer or not??